Eleni Kavros DeGraw

Session is fully underway and I hope you've had a chance to watch some of our proceedings on CT-N.com. Only one update this week (most likely) as we are deep in our committee work.

As a reminder, I serve on Public Health and Energy and Technology as well as serving as the Vice Chair of Finance, Revenue, and Bonding. Due to the fact that it's a short session, committee work becomes more active because the bills we will pass will come from the Committees, some at the request of the members of the legislature.

I've already heard from many of you via my legislative survey and I hope if you haven't yet had a chance to take it, you'll find the link listed below.

We will be in session again on Monday, February 28th and Wednesday, March 2nd.

Looking forward to hearing from you in the near future.

Celebrating Black History Month, Recognizing One of Canton's Own: Felicia Jordan

As part of Black History Month, we are focusing on how #BlackHistoryIsNow. To that end, I wanted to highlight the history happening in Canton, made by Felicia Jordan, the new Vice Chair of the Canton Board of Education. She is the first Black person to be elected to the Board of Education.

Covered Connecticut Program Special Enrollment Period Open Through June 30

If you need good, quality, affordable healthcare and meet certain eligibility requirements, the Covered Connecticut Program, through Access Health CT (AHCT), has opened a Special Enrollment Period running now through June 30.

The Covered Connecticut Program pays the customer’s portion of the monthly payment (premium) directly to their insurance company. The program also covers the cost-sharing amounts residents normally would have to pay with a health insurance plan, including co-pays, co-insurance, deductibles and maximum out-of-pocket costs.

To qualify for the Covered Connecticut Program, Connecticut residents must:

• meet income requirements
• be a parent or caretaker relative with children in the household that are under age 19 (if the children are age 18 or older, they must be full-time students in secondary school)
• use all the financial help available through Access Health CT
• be enrolled in an eligible Silver level health insurance plan.

To determine if you are eligible, have your questions answered and enroll in the Covered Connecticut Program during this Special Enrollment Period, call the Access Health CT Covered Connecticut Program hotline at 860-241-8478, Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. You can also click on the button “Covered Connecticut” for more details.

Covered CT Program Eligibility

Coverage begins on the first of the month following enrollment so, if, for example, a person enrolls on February 5, their coverage begins on March 1.

Connecticut Equity and Environmental Justice Advisory Council Public Forum Friday

Please consider taking part in a public online forum with DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes on the Connecticut Equity and Environmental Justice Advisory Council (CEEJAC) on Friday February 18 noon.

The CEEJAC is a significant step in the right direction in institutionalizing the dialogue between Environmental Justice voices and our environmental and energy agency. Created by the Governor's Executive Order 22-3, DEEP is currently accepting nominations until February 25.

In order to be successful, this Council has to be as representative as possible of all the Environmental Justice voices in our state. Please consider nominating yourself or someone who you think would be a great advocate in this Council.

There are eleven seats for Environmental Justices voices, three seats for CT environmental organizations, and two for business ones.

This forum will be the unique public event before the formal launch of the Council in March. You register for the forum by clicking on the image below.

Rare Disease Forum Monday February 28th

In honor of Rare Disease Day, Connecticut Children’s, The Jackson Laboratory, and UConn Health will offer a joint, virtual forum for Connecticut rare disease patients, advocates, and policymakers on Monday February 28th, 2022 from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. via Zoom.

You'll hear from those living with rare disorders and learn from cutting-edge physician researchers who are committed to identifying treatments and cures and more.

Please click on the flyer below to register for the webinar.

Raising Awareness of Teen Dating Violence

February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, and Interval House is making a new toolkit available to schools and parents with free educational resources in English and Spanish.

The toolkit includes:

• Slide Presentation (Spanish)
• Graphics – Teen Dating Violence Statistics (Spanish)
• Graphics – Types of Abuse (Spanish)
• Healthy Relationship Guide (Spanish)
• Teen Dating Cyber Safety Guide (Spanish)
• No Excuse for Dating Abuse – A Play (Engish only)

One in three adolescents in America are victim to sexual, physical, verbal, or emotional dating abuse, and only 33% of those abused confide in someone about the violence.

Adults are mostly in the dark about teen dating violence as 82% of parents admit they do not know if teen dating violence is an issue. Three in five parents also cannot correctly identify all the warning signs of abuse.

If you, or someone you know, needs help please call the CT Safe Connect 24-hour hotline at (888) 774-2900 or email safeconnect@ctcadv.org or use the chat option.  All services are free and confidential.

Direct connections to Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence (CCADV) member organizations — such as Interval House and 17 additional local domestic violence service providers — are available through CT Safe Connect for ongoing, in-person support, in addition to other community-based resources.

By shining a light on teen dating violence, we can begin to address root causes and educate our children — and ourselves — on how to identify abuse as well as how to engage in healthy relationships.

Parenting Through Change

From talking to our children about life during COVID-19 to parenting through a divorce or separation Connecticut Children's experts have tips for parenting through change. You can have resources like these and more delivered to your inbox. Click on the image below for more details.

CTDOT Awarding $24M to Multiple Towns To Help Reduce Emissions, Canton to Receive 40K

The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) is awarding $24 million in federal funds to ten transportation projects aimed at improving air quality in Connecticut.

Canton is set to receive $40,000 to install six dual electric vehicle (EV) charging stations for residents, school employees, students, and visitors.

(pv magazine)

As part of the Federal Highway Administration’s Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Improvement Program, Connecticut invests federal funds in local, cost-effective projects that will reduce vehicle exhaust emissions in areas of the state that do not attain national air quality standards.

CMAQ funds will be distributed to municipalities to support local projects, which include upgrading traffic signal technology and the installation of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. Modernized traffic signals use real-time traffic information to accommodate changing traffic patterns, which reduces unnecessary idling at traffic lights. For more details, please read the full press release HERE.

Groups Serving Canton Residents Are Invited to Apply for Grants

The Canton Greater Together Advisory Committee began accepting applications for its first round of grants on Tuesday.

The purpose of these grant funds is to enhance the quality of life for Canton residents through its nonprofits. The grants being offering range from $500 to $10,000 and any nonprofit registered as a 501(c)(3) organization that serves the residents of Canton is eligible to apply. Nonprofits do not have to be headquartered in Canton to be eligible, as long as its intended grant will benefit Canton residents.

The application period closes March 31st @ 5 p.m.

On Feb. 23 at 7 p.m., the Canton Public Library will host a virtual information session with members of the Canton Community Fund committee presenting information on the grant and answering questions about the grant. You can register for the session by clicking on the image below.

(Canton Greater Together Community Facebook)

The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving established $100,000 community funds for each of the 29 towns in its region, which includes Canton. The Canton Greater Together Community Fund was formed in 2021, along with its advisory committee of town residents.
 
To learn more about the Canton Community Fund, grant project guidelines and how to apply for grant funding, go to: www.hfpg.org/cantoncf or email CommunityFundCantonCT@gmail.com. After the information session, a recording will be posted to the HFPG’s Canton page within 48 hours.

Please Consider Taking My 2022 Constituent Survey

It helps me to hear from you. Please consider taking my survey below. I'd like to get your views on the various issues we're facing in Connecticut. I want to serve you as effectively as possible in Hartford.

Please click on the image to take the survey. Thank you and, as always, please do not hesitate to contact me if I can help you or your family.